The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 84: Hurt By The Truth

"Do not pity him..."

Jessamyn gasped hearing the deep voice in her ear. Clearing her throat, she looked forward. Jerrick was right. The crown Prince didn’t deserve any pity from her.

At least, now, fewer people would focus on her, she hoped. When the father of the Kingdom acted depraved leaving his duties with his young mistress, if the courtiers and the nobles found fault with a widow who remarried, then the Kingdom had no chance of prosperity.

But she did wonder why the King walked to her as if he were in a trance. She looked nothing like the woman leading the charge.

The Crown Prince’s gaze drifted once more to the row behind where Jessamyn was seated. Jessamyn stole a glance and confirmed Lady Cordelia Dahlberg’s presence. Duke Lagergren’s glare bore into Jessamyn, prompting her to swiftly avert her gaze.

Should I relinquish that hungry boy to him? Can’t I claim him for myself? She mused silently.

"I am not feeding that ravenous pup any longer," Jerrick whispered in her ear.

Jessamyn’s eyes widened wondering if he was reading her thoughts. A concealed smirk played at the corners of his lips, suggesting a hidden knowledge that sent a shiver down her spine.

With a pout, Jessamyn turned to the front. Jerrick smiled as his eyes ended up on his hand. Her hand was still inside his hand.

When she held his hand, it was as cold as ice. She had gotten warm by now. She stopped him from pulling out his sword. He was not happy about it. It was a dangerous attempt. It was fine because he was conscious of where he was standing. If it was somewhere else, no one who touched him would survive.

"Do you know why the wife stands to her husband’s left?" he asked.

Jessamyn blinked. She remembered hearing about it. There was a valid reason for that tradition. "I forgot," she answered.

"To leave the husband’s sword hand free and ready to attack in presumed danger," Jerrick said.

"Oh?" Jessamyn nodded. "So, left-handed men are put in a disadvantageous position?"

Jerrick released a sigh, his smile tinged with resignation. He shouldn’t have bothered trying to explain anything to her. She hadn’t changed much from the past. She had a knack for posing peculiar questions that were both perplexing and nonsensical.

"I shall protect you, Songbird," he whispered in her ear. "Accept it."

Jessamyn wetted her lips and bowed her head. A warmth spread in her heart along with the warmth of the cloak spreading around her. She wanted to protect him earlier by stopping him from preemptively hurting the Crown Prince.

Did he interpret it as me not accepting his help?

Her heart jumped for joy hearing him say those words. Those were the words she wanted to hear from him in the past. She needed someone to protect her. Maye she still did. She was tired of doing everything herself.

Jerrick held her hand tightly. She missed those little hands that had offered him comfort plenty of times. She said many hurtful words to him lately.

Speaking of which... Lady...Dahlberg... Who might that be?

Jerrick turned, wanting to have a glimpse of Louis’s rumored fiancée, whom his Songbird deemed well suited for him.

She definitely was a woman but he found nothing special about her. All the women looked bland like unsalted stew in front of his Songbird.

Perhaps his gaze lingered a moment too long; the woman met his eyes with a radiant smile. Jerrick, however, turned away without reciprocating, only to find himself met with Louis’s displeased glare.

Jerrick commenced a staring contest with Louis and Louis backed off within a moment.

William who was observing all those interactions smiled in his heart. How amusing! I am glad I attended this boring ceremony!

The ceremony started. Ethan walked in wearing his official robes. He looked mature wearing those heavy embroidered ceremonial robes. His face bloomed with a smile the moment his eyes met hers.

Jessamyn was not all that enthusiastic to watch her brother pledge allegiance to a mad king, but it was needed. To be precise, her brother was not pledging allegiance to the king as a man but what he represented—Ayberia.

The King offered the decree appointing him as the Baron of Ravensworth and placed the medal of the Barony on his shoulders.

With everyone recognizing Ethan as the Baron of Ravensworth, the ceremony came to a close.

Jessamyn walked to Ethan to congratulate him and Jerrick became an added appendix to her, unwilling to relent his hold on her hand.

After congratulating him, Jessamyn asked the question that had been nagging her. "Where is Emily?"

Ethan’s smile reduced. Hugging her, he whispered in her ear. "She asked me to retract my invitation to you... I forbade her from attending."

Jessamyn’s eyes misted and Ethan dragged her to the side. "She still thinks you’re going to kill me... I am not..." he paused seeing Jerrick behind Jessamyn. From childhood, his mother tried to keep Jessamyn away from him fearing his sister was going to kill him.

"I do not have the patience to deal with her anymore... She’s not going to accept my beloved either. I..." Ethan rubbed his forehead.

"Why does your mother think Jessamyn will hurt you?" Jerrick asked Ethan. Then he turned his attention toward Jessamyn. "Why are you calling your mother by her name? That’s disrespectful..."

Jessamyn chuckled. Disrespectful?

Ethan straightened himself and gazed at Jerrick. "You don’t know?" he asked. "Imogen never told you?"

"Told me what?" Jerrick furrowed his brows.

"You didn’t tell him either?" Ethan held Jessamyn’s shoulder to make her face him and asked.

Jessamyn bowed her head. She felt a stare at her and found the woman Celena staring at her. The moment their eyes met, she smiled and waved at her as if they were old friends.

Jessamyn smiled politely and turned away. What was that about? 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"Tell me what?" Jerrick asked Ethan.

Ethan looked at Jessamyn, perplexed by Jerrick’s behavior. Isn’t he family? How come he doesn’t know the truth still?

"What?" Jerrick asked holding Jessamyn’s shoulder.

Jessamyn let out a deep breath. She was now sure he didn’t know. "Emily is not my mother. My mother died when I was five," she said the truth.

Jerrick’s hold on her shoulder tightened. He observed her face and then looked at Ethan to confirm what she said. "Why didn’t you tell me?" he asked her, his voice trembling with rage.

"I thought Imogen~"

"I knew you for ten years! Ten years! And you never thought it was worth mentioning?" he thundered, his voice echoing through the room and drawing the attention of those around them.

She was eight when he met her and she... She always knew and hid it from me...

He was hurt. All those times she cried because she was punished, he thought her mother was being too strict on her but it meant something entirely different.

As if her life wasn’t hard enough, he teased her, and worse... he abandoned her!

Jerrick found the world becoming unsteady under his feet and his eyes reddened.